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Song of the Day #3,357: ‘5ive Gears in Reverse’ – Elvis Costello

Day Two of the 30 Day Music Challenge calls for ‘A Song You Like With a Number in the Title.’ I had many options from which to choose, from Wilco’s ‘The Lonely 1′ to Barenaked Ladies’ ‘If I Had $1,000,000’ and everything in between.

I opted to go with ‘5ive Gears in Reverse’ from Elvis Costello’s excellent Get Happy!! album, because Costello was so committed to the number in the title that he replaced the ‘F’ in ‘Five’ with a 5.

As with many Elvis Costello songs, I have no idea what this one is about. But I love it anyway.

Five gears in reverse
For girls looking for the big lift
Somebody send out for the night nurse
Please don’t stick me on the late shift
If you don’t know by now
Nobody’s gonna tell you
If you don’t know by now
The shock will probably kill you

But if your patience is exhausted and you still cannot decide
You’re sitting in the garage contemplating suicide
And you have no motivation you can’t even catch your breath
All of this acceleration is driving you to death

Five gears in reverse
You think I don’t know what I’m doing
Another fashionable first
Like walking down the road to ruin
But if you’re safe and sound
Don’t let me interrupt you
And if you’re gagged and bound
Well how can I corrupt you

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6 thoughts on “Song of the Day #3,357: ‘5ive Gears in Reverse’ – Elvis Costello”

For today’s challenge, I pick Sting’s “Love is Stronger Than Justice (The Munificent Seven)” this song recently came up on a random iTunes pick during one of our drives. Reaction in the family was mixed as to whether Sting’s foray into country worked. I go back and forth in my opinion as well, but generally appreciate the effort.

I’m going with a tune from the Indigo Girls here. When I went searching to remember which album it was on (Swamp Ophelia), I was reminded of just how many songs with numbers these two have written. This made me all the more confident that this was the right song to share today 🙂

When I saw the topic for this SOTD I couldn’t help but think of “A Thousand Miles” by Vanessa Carlton. I don’t know what it is about this song. Perhaps, it’s the infectious piano, the skillful hi hat drumming, or just Carlton’s sweet voice, but this song has always been one of my favorites. There are few songs that I can listen to on repeat and retain the same enthusiasm singing along in the car. This is one that I think I could have on repeat all the way to Disney World.